Hunted Heart
by Aya Brea X
Summary: X and Zero are finally together... happily ever after. Well, that would be an awfully short fic, wouldn't it? So we introduce Faith, the ultimate evil fangirl. Shounen-ai Alert! Chapter 7 Up *Finished* Phew!
1. Mysterious Eyes

Aya: OH-HA! It's me again! To terrorize you guys with yet another fic! Tee hee.  
  
X: Awww... more unconsciousness.  
  
Aya: Sheesh! Are you that pessimistic that you'd think I'd write the same event in two   
fics?  
  
X: Uh.. just a bit.  
  
Aya: Well, you WILL be pleasantly surprised! Mwa ha ha ha!  
  
Zero: Dang, she's doing a laughing fit again.  
  
Aya: Oh yeah, this is a shounen-ai fic... mainly. But there will be a semi girl guy pairing   
in there somewhere too (dang, now I've alienated BOTH communities...) Well, the "evil"   
character will be a female trying to run off with one (hum... maybe both?) of our heroes.   
So yeah, don't read if you're offended by guy guy or girl guy pairings. Rest assured,   
though, I usually don't do anything graphic, in either pairing.  
  
Mob Member 1: WHAT?! A GIRL! In a shounen-ai fic? EWIE!!!  
  
Mob Member 2: This is totally unheard of.  
  
Aya: Oh come on! Keep an open mind!  
  
Zero: Are you sure you're not the evil female character trying to run off with both of us?   
*points of himself and X*   
  
Aya: *Evil villainess laugh* No, no dear. But I sure wish I could! PS: Legal disclaimer,   
I don't own any of the Capcom characters. End of story.. I mean, beginning of story, er..   
ahh... just read!  
  
  
---------------------------------  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 1: Mysterious Eyes  
  
  
The air was crisp. The sky was especially blue. Everything seemed more beautiful when he   
was around. X and Zero were enjoying a day off from their usual duties, and sat together on   
a green stretch of grass at the city botanical garden, back to back. X leaned his head back,   
resting it on Zero's shoulder to get a wider view of the sky above.  
  
"What part of this are you supposed to enjoy?" Zero asked curiously. "I just seem to be...   
bored." X laughed softly.  
  
"You're supposed to be relaxing. This botanical garden is one of the highest rated in the   
world." A butterfly few by X's face. "Just look at everything. And listen..." Both of   
them paused. "No, alarm sirens."  
  
"This would be a great place to take a nap!" Zero said enthusiastically, then made   
exaggerated snoring sounds. X suddenly got up, causing Zero to loose his balance and fall   
flat on his back. "Ow! I was just kidding!" When he sat up, he saw the concerned look on   
X's face. His green eyes darted about the garden. "X, what's wrong."  
  
"Someone's watching us." X said.  
  
"Watching us? I don't care who finds out about us." Zero smiled. "Besides, half the hunters   
have already figured it out. It's not a secret anymore."  
  
"It's not that. I just..." X sat down again. "... got this creepy feeling, as if someone   
dangerous were around." Now X looked embarrassed about his reaction.  
  
"No worries." Zero patted X on the head. "I'm here to protect you!" Zero wore a giant grin   
on his face, until X grabbed the arm Zero was patting his head with, twisted it in an Aikido   
move and pushed Zero against the ground.  
  
"Oh?" X smiled, pinning Zero down. "You're going to protect me? Or do you need protection   
_from_ me?"   
  
Zero returned the smile, glad that X had forgotten about the phantom spy ruining their time   
together. Participating in this new game, Zero raised his head closer to X and kissed the   
hunter. As X was distracted, Zero managed to maneuver himself to pin X on the ground.   
X's green eyes first went wide with surprise, then softened when he met Zero's gaze.   
  
"I think it's choice number 1." Zero whispered, then rolled to the side and laid on the   
grass. "You're right." He watched the clouds passing slowly above him. "This is a nice   
place. Let's come back often."   
  
--------------------------------------  
  
/////"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." She brushed some dust off. "I just got caught up at the wrong place at   
the wrong time." As she tried to stand, she realized some of her leg circuitry had been   
damaged.   
  
"Oh! You can't stand." He reached down and picked her up. "I hope you don't mind, but this  
is the fastest way to get you to the repair center."  
  
She blushed. "No... I don't mind at all..."/////  
  
She watched X and Zero, lying on the grass beside each other, and the warm feelings from her   
memories were quickly burned away by jealousy. Oh, what she would have given to be the one   
lying next to him, but it was old news now that X and Zero were a couple.   
  
"Soon..." She continued to look on. "Soon we'll be together."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
X and Zero arrived back a the Maverick Hunter Headquarters office the next day to rumors that   
an unidentified virus had infected several of the staff members.  
  
"It's strange." Douglas told the two hunters as they had lunch in the cafeteria. "Five people   
have caught it already, but it doesn't seem to be contagious, so we have no idea how they got it.   
At least it's not life threatening. Alia caught it as well, and she's in bed with a big headache."  
  
"This started yesterday?" X asked.  
  
"Late last night." Douglas nodded. "Five Reploids checked into the medical center within an   
hour of each other. We're still trying to find a common factor between the five of them.   
Until then, we've relieved them of duty. They can't be much help with a big headache, anyway."  
  
"So have we found replacements for everyone?" Zero joined in. "We are already shorthanded   
to begin with."  
  
"Actually, we have a couple of Reploids fresh out of training from the academy." Douglas looked   
over his shoulder. "They're all sitting at that table over there, with Signas. He thought it   
would be a good idea to have lunch with the new recruits."  
  
One of the recruits pulled her gaze away from Signas, who looked like he was giving a long   
lecture about protocol to the bored new recruits. She glanced over at the table where X,   
Zero, and Douglas sat, smiled, then returned her attention to Signas and nodded.  
  
"Did she just look at us?" X blinked.  
  
"Her name is Faith." Douglas sighed happily. "She's awfully cute, isn't she?"   
  
"I think she was looking at you, X." Zero teased.  
  
"Wha, what?!" X sat up straight in his chair, eyes wide. "I.. I..."  
  
"I'm kidding." Zero nudged X with his elbow. "Can't you take a joke?"  
  
"I should go." Douglas got up. "I have to go work on the virus problem."  
  
"I have to go, too." X finished drinking his tea. "I think Signas is starting to get   
irritated by those unfinished reports. Are you coming?" He asked Zero.  
  
"This chocolate ice cream requires my attention." Zero said with complete seriousness. "I'll   
join you at the office when I'm done dealing with this crisis."   
  
"Okay." X winked at Zero before turning to go. "Later!"   
  
Zero waved goodbye to the two, then continued eating his ice cream. Out of the corner of his eye,   
he caught Faith looking in the direction of his table again, with an intense look in her eyes.   
She looked as if she had completely forgotten all about Signas and the other people at her table.   
Even when Zero looked up at her, she did not flinch, and instead, continued the intense gaze.   
She looked... angry.  
  
//What in the...// Zero thought. //Why is she looking at me like that?// After a couple more   
moments of the staring, she excused herself from the table and left the dinning commons. Zero   
shook his head in confusion when the doors closed behind her. "Women." He said as he ate   
another spoonful of ice cream.  
  
-------------------------  
  
X's attention was pulled away from his paperwork when someone entered the work area. He recognized   
her as the Reploid he saw at the dinning commons earlier. Thoughts about what Zero said earlier   
flooded back to his head, and he blushed slightly, still bothered by Zero's joke. Faith scanned   
the office and started towards X. When she reached his table, she smiled and extended her hand.  
  
"Hi, I'm faith, the temporary navigator for your unit." X got up and shook her hand. "You're   
commander X, right?"  
  
"Just X is fine." He sat back down. "Please, grab a chair and sit down." She took the nearest chair   
and pulled it up to X's desk. "So, have you had any experience navigating before?"   
  
"A bit, yes." She nodded. "My team finished first in the academy wide competition." She beamed   
proudly. "I'm happy to have a chance to work on your team."   
  
"Have you met the other members of the 17th unit?" X asked. She shook her head. "I should   
introduce you to the team later today."  
  
"Thank you, you're so nice!"  
  
"Uh.." X blushed again. Usually he was the most cheery one in the room, and meeting someone else   
who surpassed him in that category was a little unusual. "Thank you."  
  
She clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled coyly as she stared down. "Um... X?...Uh.."   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Um... Would you... join me... for dinner...tonight? At 7:00." Her eyes looked hopefully up at X,   
who was caught completely off guard. He was at a loss for words. "It would mean a lot to me."   
  
-------------------------  
  
"Wahhh ha ha ha HA! You said WHAT?!" Tears welled up in Zero's eyes from excessive laughter.   
"Oh man! I can't believe you actually got suckered into a date!" He continued to laugh, rolling   
around on the couch he was sitting on.  
  
"Hey!" X strained his voice. "This is serious! I didn't mean to agree on a date! It's just that,   
she was... giving me this... look." He plopped down next to Zero and sighed. "I couldn't say no.   
It would probably break her heart if I did that."  
  
Zero continued to laugh while X thought about his "date" with the new navigator, Faith. He thought   
about how she jumped up and down and cheered when he muttered something about "okay" and bolted out   
of the room to get ready.  
  
"Shouldn't you be somewhat concerned I'm going out on a date with someone else?" X made a face at Zero,  
who looked like he was finally going to stop laughing. "Aren't you the least bit jealous?"  
  
"Jealous?" Zero wiped away the tears from his eyes and let out a couple of small laughs that remained  
in his system. "Well, heck yes, I'm jealous that she'll be stealing you away from me tonight." He   
brushed his fingers across his face. "I'll be thinking about you a lot... I know you'll be a   
complete gentleman about the date, and let her know how you really feel. I trust you." He planted a   
kiss on his cheek. "Besides, I'm much prettier than her."  
  
X chuckled and hugged Zero. What he didn't tell Zero was that he had an immensely bad feeling about  
his date with Faith. Something about her eyes wasn't right. He didn't notice it until after she left  
him at the office. Little things like the movement of her eyes, the way she smiled... Something   
wasn't right about her.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"X!" Faith said excitedly. "Come in! I'm almost finished with dinner!" Somewhat nervously, he   
entered her quarters and saw the dining room table had been nicely set with two place settings. He   
was somewhat relieved the atmosphere was not as heavy as it could be. There were no romantic candles   
set in the center of the table, no dimmed lights. It actually looked pretty innocent.   
  
"Smells great." X commented. "What did you make?"  
  
"Fried chicken!" Faith chimed from the kitchen. "My favorite."  
  
X scratched his head. Either he completely got the wrong idea about the point of the dinner, or Faith   
had no idea about what the words "romantic atmosphere" meant. //Fried chicken? What's next? A movie   
on TV while we have dinner?//  
  
"Oh!" She came out of the kitchen with a platter of chicken. "I also ordered a movie we could watch   
with dinner!" X almost fell over. "Well, they didn't have my first choice available, so I got this   
other one I've never seen before... let's hope it's not too boring!" X started to sit down at the   
dining table, but she headed straight for the couch with the platter of chicken. "Um.. dinner will   
be served at the coffee table, this makes watching the movie easier."  
  
//Definitely. Not. Romantic.// X thought happily as he headed over to the couch to join Faith.   
//She just wanted to be friends. This is great!//  
  
The movie started, and the two started munching on the chicken. Unfortunately, the movie seemed quite   
boring, and soon X started to lose interest in the film and instead started to nod off. At first he   
fought it, since he didn't want to be rude, but the plot of the foreign film was completely lost to him,   
and soon his eyelids got too heavy to keep open.  
  
"X?" She whispered softly, then nudged X lightly. The hunter was out like a light, and fell over on the   
sofa. Faith smiled darkly and wiped her hands off on a napkin, then reached in her pocket and took out a   
chip. She got up from the sofa and caressed X's face with her hands. "You are sweet." His sleeping face   
looked angelic. "I can see why Zero fell for you." Carefully she lifted the chip in the air and admired   
it. "But no one will stand between me and my man. Soon..." She looked down at X. "Soon..."  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
Mob Member 1: I don't know about this girl idea....  
  
Aya: Well, we killed off Vile in the last fic, so unless you want to see some Sigma and X action, you'd better  
just live with it!  
  
Mob Member 2: Waah! NOOOOO. We'll be good.  
  
Zero: Wow, she's gotten much more assertive since her first fic.  
  
X: Could it be the ego getting to her head.  
  
Faith: Nah, I'd say it's the Pepsi.  
  
X and Zero: *Dashes behind Aya*  
  
X: Eeek! How could you drug me! *Looks accusingly at Aya* I thought you said you weren't going to do that again!  
  
Aya: Hee hee, old habits die hard, I guess, but keep in mind about what I said about surprise!  
  
Faith: Oooo, playing hard to get, I likee! *evil grin*  
  
Aya: Ur.. join us next week. Same Bat time, same Bat channel. 


	2. Love Hurts

Aya: More fun!  
  
----------------------  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 2: Love Hurts  
  
  
X groggily opened his eyes, and first noticed the static on the TV monitor. Suddenly he  
snapped to an upright sitting position and looked around. //Did I really fall asleep  
watching the movie?! Oh no! Faith must feel...// Then he heard breathing to his left, and   
saw that faith was asleep on the other end of the couch. Slightly relieved that he wasn't  
the only one put to sleep by the movie "Monsieur Francois", he sighed.   
  
"Faith?" He patted the Reploid on the shoulder. "Faith?"  
  
"Mm... It's not time for school yet, mommy." She mumbled. X laughed lightly at her   
reaction. He found a folded up blanket on the sofa and covered the Reploid with it.  
Not that she would catch a cold, but... well, X was just like that.   
  
"Thank you for a lovely dinner." He whispered before tiptoeing out of the room. The doors  
swished closed behind him, and Faith opened her eyes. She stood up, still holding onto   
the blanket, and smiled.   
  
"What a sweet, sweet guy..." She mused. "I'm almost sorry that it will hurt, so, so much."  
  
----------------------------  
  
"So how did your date with your dream girl go?" Zero caught up with X the following morning.  
"Did you guys have fun?"  
  
"It wasn't a date." X said. "We had fried chicken and watched a movie."  
  
"Sounds like my kind of date." Zero threw an arm over X's shoulders. "Good food, good movie,  
good company."   
  
X shook his head. "Not a romantic bone in your body." He commented. "Fried chicken? It was   
more like friends hanging out. At least we know she's not romantically interested in me."  
  
Zero lead X into a side corridor and leaned X against the wall. "_I'm_ romantically interested   
in you." Zero winked as he said, then started to kiss X on his neck. The blue hunter sighed and  
leaned his head sideways, enjoying the sensation. Zero's left hand reached up and massaged the   
other side of X's neck.  
  
The pleasant sensation was quickly replaced by a dull pain in his head and chest. X winced, and   
tried to figure out why he was getting a headache at such an inconvenient time. Zero turned his  
attention to X's lips and ran his fingers softly across his lips, sending an excited chill down X's  
spine. Momentarily forgetting about his headache, X moved forwards to kiss Zero, but the headache  
quickly returned, at least ten times worse than before. Clumsily X leaned back against the wall   
again, his breathing ragged as the pain coursed past his head and chest to the rest of his body.  
  
Shocked, Zero stepped backwards as X started to crumple to the ground, his breathing quick and  
shallow. With great difficulty, X tried to focus his vision, but he felt like he was on a merry  
go round. Desperately he tried to grab onto something, but it hurt too much to lift his arms.  
  
"X!" Zero reached down and tried to pick up the hunter, but the blue Reploid screamed as soon as  
Zero touched him. Afraid to hurt him even more, Zero abandoned the idea of moving the Reploid by   
himself and ran to the main hallway and stopped the closet hunter insight and told him to contact  
the med bay. As soon as the other hunter started to make the call, Zero returned to the hallway to   
see that X had calmed down a bit, and breathed a little easier. "X, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine... now... I don't know..." Zero knelt down and started to wipe the beads of cold sweat on  
X's face, when the blue hunter started another round of painful screams, as if Zero's touch burned.  
Zero immediately pulled back and looked at his hands, then at X again. Between the ragged breathing,  
X looked as confused as Zero, unsure of why Zero's touch was painful.   
  
"Zero..." X shook his head, then gripped his chest, as if he was trying to claw something out. He   
gasped, then collapsed at Zero's feet, a painful expression still on his face.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Zero leaned against the wall at a distant corner of the med bay as Douglas worked on X. Luckily X  
woke up shortly after arriving at the Med Bay. Douglas finished some scans of X and carried a   
printout over to X's bed.  
  
"It doesn't look like anything is wrong with him." Douglas said thoughtfully. "I don't see anything  
out of place... Did you do anything that might have been straining on your systems the last couple  
of days?"  
  
"No." X shook his head. "I don't think so. I haven't been on a mission since I got back from  
vacation." X glanced over to Zero, who continued to look on at the corner. "Zero... why are  
you standing all the way over there?"  
  
"I'm fine over here." Zero said offhandedly. In actuality, he was afraid that if he got near X  
again, he would react the same way as before.   
  
"Zero, please, come over here." X took a deep breath. "I need to know if something is really wrong."  
Douglas looked curiously at the two of them, not sure what's going on since neither of them filled  
him in on how Zero's touch hurts X.   
  
Zero nodded, then started to head over to X's bed. X found his heart pounded nervously as Zero   
approached. Zero extended his hand and placed it on top of X's head. X shut his eyes, expecting  
what he felt before.  
  
Both Zero and X blinked. Nothing happened. No pain. Zero removed his hand from X's head and   
tilted his head. "Well, what do you know?" Zero smiled. "I'm not a walking frying pan after all."  
X and Zero laughed while Douglas continued to look confused.   
  
The med bay doors opened, and in walked Faith, with a basket in hand. She found X and rushed over.  
  
"X!" Faith wedged herself between Zero and Douglas then presented the basket to X. He accepted the  
basket and opened it. The delicious smell of fried chicken filled the room.   
  
"Hey! More fried chicken!" X beamed. "Thanks!"  
  
"Alright!" Zero reached into the basket and grabbed a piece. "Mmmm" He took a bite and smiled as  
he chewed. "This is good."  
  
"Glad you think so." Faith looked over to Douglas. "You want some, too?"   
  
"Don't mind if I do!" Douglas also grabbed a piece.  
  
"X, I came as soon as I heard about your collapse!" Concern was written all over her face. "Are   
you feeling okay?"   
  
"I'm fine now." X replied, stealing a glance over at the silly looking picture of Zero eating  
fried chicken. "Thanks for coming to see me, and thank you for the movie yesterday."  
  
"Well, I have to go! Just came to make sure you're okay!" She winked at X, said goodbye to Zero  
and Douglas and was out the door again.  
  
"I think she does like you, X." Douglas said as he took another bite of chicken. X and Zero   
widened their eyes simultaneously. X shook his head vigorously.  
  
"No, no!" He held up his hands in protest. "We're only friends."  
  
-------------------------  
  
//I thought about you so much.// Faith closed her eyes and sighed when the med bay doors closed   
behind her. //It's good to see you smile.// She thought about the chip she installed in X. It   
was totally undetectable unless they looked close enough. It was a very good replica of the real   
thing... //I'm sorry I have to trick you, but you'll soon know that I did this...// She pulled   
out a folded photograph from her pocket. //for us...//  
  
----------------------------  
  
Aya: Okay, couldn't resist putting this up for now. I don't know how people will receive this... so  
far no one seems to have read this... eh... was it a bad idea? If so, I'm just going to go back and  
change Faith to Frank or something, LOL  
  
Faith: HEY!  
  
X: Hm... Frank.. sounds boring  
  
Faith: HEY!  
  
Zero: Yeah, sounds like the name of my TV cable guy.  
  
Aya: Hello? Anyone there?  
  
*Tumble weed rolls by.*  
  
Aya: Meow.. does not look good. 


	3. Falling

Aya: Gah! I keep coming up with ideas! Must... write, chapter... three!  
  
Faith: So am I Frank or what? *tries out husky voice* Hi, I'm Frank.  
  
Aya: Eh... we'll keep ya around for now. Just try not to hurt my sweeties too much, okay?  
  
X and Zero: *meep*  
  
------------------------  
  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter Three: Falling  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Zero asked X as the two headed out of the Med Bay. Douglas was finally   
convinced there was nothing wrong with X and signed off on the discharge forms. X was to stay  
at his quarters, bar some kind of emergency, for the rest of today and tomorrow.   
  
"I'm fine." X carried the basket of chicken with him. He managed to save a couple of pieces  
from Douglas's and Zero's greedy hands. "I don't see why I have to take time off at all. It   
was probably nothing."  
  
"Douglas is a little concerned you that you might have caught the bug as well." Zero crossed  
his arms behind his head and leaned back casually. "You might have, you know."  
  
"I'm fine now." The two reached X's quarters, Zero started to move towards X for a quick peck   
on the cheek, but decided against it.   
  
"I'll see you later!" Zero waved and took off in the other direction. X sighed heavily and entered  
his quarters. After setting the basket of chicken on his dining table, he headed off to his room   
and plopped on the bed.   
  
//What was today about?// X searched his mind for clues. //Why did Zero's touch...// Footsteps   
outside of his bedroom pulled him from his thoughts. He whipped around and trained his X-Buster  
at the direction of the doorway. No one was there. Confused, X lowered his weapon and glanced   
around the room.   
  
"Did I scare you?" A voice chilled the air in the room. Faster now, X spun around the room,   
searching for the owner of the voice, but still found nothing. "You can't find me?" X didn't   
want to get jumped from behind, so he backed against the wall, squinting hard to see anything  
out of place. "I can seee you." The voice said musically, then broke into a long laughter.  
  
"Who are you?" X asked, trying to keep up a calm appearance despite his heart hammering with   
fear. "What do you want?" From out of nowhere, arms appeared on both sides of X and grabbed  
X by the waist and throat. Nothing but nearly mute coughing sounds came out of X's mouth as   
the assailant applied firm pressure on his throat.   
  
"Hi, X." A familiar voice whispered in his ear.  
  
//Ze.. Zero?!// X struggled to get out of the grip, desperately wanting to turn around and find out  
it's not really Zero who is hurting him, but the assailant squeezed harder on his throat. White   
stars started to appear in front of his eyes. X tried to pry the hand off, but the assailant held  
on with surprising strength.  
  
"Yes, it's me." It was definitely Zero's voice. "Did you miss me?" X felt the hand loosen from  
his neck and waist and stumbled forwards, coughing madly. "Because I missed you." X rolled to his   
side to face his attacker. His blood turned cold when he saw Zero standing over him, a bearing a   
mad smile.   
  
"Zero?" X croaked, his voice not yet recovered. "What...are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like I'm here to do?" Zero started to move forwards, and X instinctively peddled  
backwards with his hands. "What I'm here to do all along..." Zero drew his Z Saber, his eyes filled  
with excitement from the humming laser beam. "You know that, right?"  
  
"What? No, Zero." X hit the wall behind him. He was cornered. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh please!" Zero waved his hands in the air. "Are you STILL concerned for other people when you're  
about to die? I'm about to kill you here!" He snapped his wrist, and the tip of the beam saber  
hovered less than an inch from X's chest. "Are you still busy being Mother Teresa."  
  
"You're not Zero." X shook his head. "No."  
  
"Bye bye." Zero moved forward before X could react and pierced X's chest armor. X screamed loudly,  
but within seconds, managed to collect his wits and grabbed the hand that held the handle of the Z   
saber. With a battle cry, X shoved both of them across the room, crashing into the bookcase.   
Mementos and picture frames shattered on impact, sending shards of glass into the air. Taking   
advantage of Zero's lowered guard, X raised his other fist and punched Zero in the face. Zero fell   
to the ground, letting go of his grip on the beam saber, deactivating the sword.   
  
"Ugh." X staggered backwards and dropped the handle of the sword to the ground. His chest was   
bleeding profusely. He covered the wound with one hand but it simply bled through his fingers.   
The room started to spin around him. //Must...call...someone....// His legs started to wobble as   
he moved for the com pad at the entrance of the room. //Just a couple more... steps...// He   
tasted blood in his mouth now.   
  
"No you don't!" He heard Zero say behind him. X tried to hit the emergency button but Zero's hand  
grabbed his wrist and pulled him backwards. Already weakened from the blood loss, and the initial  
rush of adrenaline wearing off, X was in no condition to fight. He simply fell backwards against Zero  
when he pulled his wrist backwards. He strained hard to keep his eyes open, but the sensation was  
already gone from most of his body.  
  
//I'm dying...// was X's last coherent thought. The last thing he saw was Zero's satisfied grin  
above him.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"Earth to X!" Someone called him back to reality. X shook his head and opened his eyes. Faith's   
concerned face was looking down at him. "Oh thank god, you're okay. Can you get up?" X grabbed  
his chest and felt around. It was in pristine condition. Next he felt his throat for tender   
spots, but found none.   
  
"What?" X sat up and found that he had been lying on the floor. "What happened?" Then another  
question popped into his head. "What are you doing in my room.?"  
  
"I came to bring you dinner. When I was with Commander Zero earlier, he said you were in your   
quarters. When you didn't answer my door rings... I got worried and...." She shifted nervously.   
"...kind of broke in." Looking over her shoulder to the bookcase, X found that everything on it   
was on the floor, and the shards of glass laid in a pattern consistent with his fight with Zero.   
  
//But how come I don't have any damage?// X thought to himself.   
  
"X? Are you okay?" She sighed. "I'm sorry I broke into your room, but I was really worried about   
you. I was afraid you collapsed again..." X could tell she was feeling guilty about breaking and  
entering, so he patted her on the shoulder.  
  
"No worries." X's smile was filled with support. "Thanks for waking me up. I don't know how I   
ended up on the floor." He glanced over to the bookcase. "Or what happened to that, but can you   
promise not to tell Zero about this?" She looked at him curiously. "I don't want him to worry.   
I probably just tripped and fell."   
  
"Okay..." She nodded, and got up. She extended a hand to help X up from the floor. He took her   
hand and got up. As he did so, he noticed she winced a bit. He held on to her hand, then examined  
it. She was bleeding. Looking down, he saw that she was kneeling in glass when she was checking  
on him.   
  
"Your hands and knees!" He exclaimed. "You shouldn't have knelt on glass!" He sat her down on the   
bed then moved to his closet to retrieve the first aid kit. He brought up some tweezers and gently   
picked out the glass pieces. "So tell me..." X chattered as he bandaged her right knee. "What   
exactly is the difference between sort of breaking in, and breaking in outright?" X couldn't help   
but notice her face was a shade of neon pink. She seemed too flustered to answer. "Give me your  
hand again." She complied, and X cleaned out that wound. "Just try not to break into my room again,  
okay?" He grabbed the bandage and started to wrap up the wound on her hand. "I know you mean well,  
but I like my privacy." She nodded furiously. "Okay, you're as good as new." She pulled her hand  
back and softly rubbed the bandage on her hands.   
  
"Thank you." She said slowly.  
  
"No problem!" X got up. "Hey, is that mac and cheese I smell?"  
  
"Mmm!" She nodded affirmatively, and got up from the bed. "I'll let you enjoy your dinner..."  
  
"No, no, please stay. We can call Zero and have dinner together!"  
  
"Okay!" She smiled brightly.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
//I thought about you so much for the last three years....ever since I saw you that day, and you  
saved me. Now I'm closer to you than ever. I can see you everyday, working, just being you.   
It's great.//  
  
"Can you pass the mashed potatoes?" X asked, and Faith handed him the bowl.  
  
//It's great.//  
  
"I got your gravy train right here, X!" Zero shoved the bowl of gravy towards X, who barely   
stopped it from flying right off the table.  
  
//It's great.//  
  
Zero and X started to yell at each other about the gravy, as Faith looked on, wearing a contented  
smile on her face.   
  
//It's great finally being around you... but...//  
  
The two finally succeeded spilling half their meal on each other, and were occupied in a laughing fit.  
  
//Circumstances have changed. I've fallen for someone else.//  
  
-----------------------------  
Aya: Actually, one of the comments I read on the reviews inspired a new direction :) I'll tell  
you who it is at the end of the story, since I don't want to give anything away. *evil laughter*   
Let's just say it's such a sweet idea that I couldn't go to bed before finishing this chapter.  
  
X: What in the HECK happened to me?  
  
Mob Member 1: Hum... *takes notes* A Conspiracy Theory type story, eh?  
  
Mob Member 2: Wow, Faith is seriously disturbed... but that is some yummy mashed potatoes.  
  
Faith: Cooking is my forte!  
  
Mob Member 3: Applications for Angry Mob Membership is now open! Feel free to create your own  
Mob Member reactions (numbers 4 and above.. I guess) in the reviews :) Have fun with it!  
  
Aya: This is such a fun fic! I've always thought female villains could be much more twisted!   
Hee hee.  
  
Zero: Last piece of Chicken is mine!  
  
Aya: NOOO! *sword fight with Zero ensues. Aya wins* Yum yum. 


	4. Distance

Aya: Not too much shounen-ai in this chapter, but I'm setting it up! Really!   
  
Mob Member 2: I want instant gratification! I want my shounen ai NOW!  
  
Aya: Fine, fine. *snaps fingers*   
  
X and Zero: *appears*  
  
X: Oh Zero!  
  
Zero: Oh X! *Zero and X embrace. Zero dips X in a dance move, and then...SMOOCH*  
  
Faith: HEY!! *fumes*  
  
Aya: On with the show!  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 4: Distance  
  
"Ready for your first mission?" Zero asked Faith as the teams got ready for a low key mission.   
Signas wanted the top hunter teams to go on this mission, because the new recruits would also be   
there. Unit 0, 5 and 17 were in the hanger, preparing equipment.  
  
"As well as I could be prepared." Faith took a breath and continued to pack the transmission   
equipment into the back section of her ATV (all terrain vehicle). "We'll be trying out this   
new mobile communications unit. I could try spotting on location." She looked impressively at  
the equipment. "If this works, we can have spotters on more missions. Of course... if it   
doesn't work, there will be another spotter here at HQ to continue spotting for you, and I'd   
just be sitting around doing much of nothing."   
  
"Okay, everyone understand their orders?" X looked around and his team nodded. "Good, then set  
your headset frequencies to the ones on your sheet. we'll move out in ten minutes." The team   
scattered to their vehicles and continued to work. Zero looked after X as he read over the   
directives again.  
  
"Faith, what happened to X before I got there that night?" Zero asked without looking at her.  
  
"What?" Faith dropped a screwdriver. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I meant to ask you for awhile now, but never found time alone with you until now." Zero turned  
and looked at Faith. "That night, right after X collapsed. When I came over for dinner, he was  
looking at me differently than before. Did he say anything to you?"  
  
"No." Faith shook her head. "Not much. He just suggested we call you for dinner as well."  
  
"I see." Zero trailed off. "Well, good luck spotting for us. I need to go brief my team, too."   
Zero turned and started walking away.  
  
"Wait!" Faith started after Zero. "Commander... do you..." Zero looked over his shoulder, a   
curious expression on his face. "...do you..."  
  
"Mmm?" Zero walked back to Faith. "Do I what?" Faith kept staring at Zero for several more seconds,  
as if she was expecting something from Zero.  
  
"... do you..." She turned her eyes downwards, and looked somewhat disappointed. "... want more  
chicken?" She retrieved a basket from the back of her ATV and handed it to Zero.  
  
"Alright!" Zero happily accepted the basket. "Do you have a chicken farm in your quarters or  
something?" Faith kept staring down at the floor. "Faith?" She didn't seem to hear him.   
"Faith!" He repeated.   
  
"Huh, what?" She snapped back to reality. "Well, gotta go! I need to check the engine!" She  
ran around to the front of the car and disappeared behind the open hood of the car. Zero shrugged  
and went over to talk to X.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Faith took a peek from behind the hood of the car and saw X and Zero talking to each other.   
  
//It hurt to see you with someone else... Am I that easily forgotten?//  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Okay, X, start heading down that tunnel." Faith told X over the communicator. "I'm getting a   
strange reading from that room over by your left. Maybe you should check it out."  
  
"Roger." Slowly, he turned the door knob. The door creaked open. X waited for his optical sensors to   
adjust to the darkness of the room. The infrareds came on and X stepped inside. "I don't see   
anything out of the ordinary."  
  
"X-" Faith's connection started to break up. "--something--" More static. "--los--"  
  
"Hello?" His radio went dead. "Hello?"  
  
"Faith?" Behind him, the door slammed shut. He madly ran over and tried to pull the door open,  
but it didn't move a single inch. //It's just jammed.// He told himself. //Just jammed.//'  
  
"X." Spinning around, X could make out the outlines of a figure standing there. The green glow  
of the infrared scope made the figure even more eerie than he already stands. "Hi X." Just then,  
the lights in the room snapped on, blinding X, who still had his infrared scope activated. X quickly  
covered his eyes and shut off the scope, but his eyes were still burning from the momentary   
sensory overload. "I'm back."  
  
"What do you want, you imposter!" X blinked his eyes, trying to regain his vision.  
  
"Imposter? Tsk Tsk." Zero walked forwards. "Don't you know who I am yet?"   
  
X grabbed his chest when the pains returned. His vision was still blurry, but when he looked down,  
he saw his chest and hands covered in blood. "Nooo..." X closed his eyes tightly then opened them   
again. The blood was gone. His relief was short lived. Zero moved within arm's reach of X without  
him noticing and shoved the blue hunter across the room. "Ugh!" X slammed against the wall.  
  
"I am who you envision Zero to be, X." Zero approached again. X raised his fists to fight back,   
conjuring an amused smile from Zero's face. "You see past the happy exterior, X. You know who   
Zero really is: a Maverick." Zero raised his hands and examined them. "Even if he never turns  
against the Hunters, or the humans... you know that if he ever got close enough to you, when you're  
alone, with him, and you're... asleep..." Zero rushed up to X with inhuman speed and clasped hand  
over X's mouth. X's eyes went wide. Zero pressed his expressionless face close to X's. "He would   
not be able to resist. It would be too easy to kill you."   
  
Overcoming the shock, X looked defiantly as Zero. The imposter lowered his hand from X's face, but  
did not move back.   
  
"You're wrong." X said. "You're so wrong."  
  
"Wrong?" The imposter stepped backwards, not as sure of himself as before. He seems to be searching  
his mind for something. "It's the truth!" He grasped the sides of his head. "I... I don't know."  
Zero fell to the floor and started to shake. "No..."  
  
"Zero." X knelt down and tried to help the imposter. "It's okay, it'll be okay." He wrapped his  
arms around Zero and tried to calm him down. "It'll be okay." He repeated. X noticed a dull headache  
and his arms started to fall asleep. To his surprise, his arms started to move on their own accord.  
One of his arms reached for Zero's Z saber and activated it. Zero was too absorbed in his own world  
to notice X's actions.   
  
//No.// X wanted to shout, but he already lost all command of his body. He saw his arm raising the   
sword. //RUN!// The saber hit Zero right in the center of his chest. Zero gasped and desperately  
trashed around, clawing at X's face. X saw himself draw the sword out of Zero's chest, and stab down  
again, this time splattering blood over himself. Zero continued to struggle, but soon started to   
slow down. X watched in horror as he continued to stab Zero. The blue glow of his eyes dimmed, and his   
arms went limp by his sides. Zero's eyes lingered on X's face for a moment, then they stared into   
space.  
  
X could move his arms again, and he quickly dropped the sword and he backed up from the body. X  
squeezed his eyes shut again, willing the terrible picture of Zero's dead body to go away. When  
he opened them again, Zero was gone. He let out a sigh of relief and backed against a wall again.   
  
"You know." Zero's voice returned, but X was too desensitized to be surprised. "Either I'm going to  
kill you... or you and your doubts would compel you to kill me. Think about it."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
"Commander Zero!" Zero heard Faith call over the radio. "I've lost contact with everyone else!  
I don't know where they went. Has the HQ com kicked in yet?"  
  
"I can still hear you." Zero replied. "You lost contact will all three units? Did something   
happen to your equipment?"  
  
"I don't think so." Her voice sounded strained. "But yes, I have lost contact with everyone   
except you. I don't know what's wrong... AHHHH!" Crashing sounds could be heard in the   
background.  
  
"Faith?" Zero tried to adjust his headset, but now he couldn't hear anything but static. "FAITH?  
Damn it." He started running out back to the ATV where Faith was at, all the while trying to   
get a connection between HQ. He was out of contact with everyone. This was bad. His first priority  
was getting com back up, which means he would have to go back to the ATV. "She'll be fine." He   
told himself. "She's got weapons." He wasn't convinced, so he sped up.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Zero arrived to base camp, where the ATV was parked, and the bodies of several mavericks laying on   
the ground. The ATV itself looked like it came under fire. Faith was sitting, leaning against   
the front of the ATV with a light rifle in her hands. She heard Zero approaching and pointed her   
gun towards him, when she realized who it was, she sighed and lowered the rifle.  
  
"Sorry." She set the rifle aside.   
  
"What happened to the base camp?" Zero looked around. There usually were at least ten hunters   
stationed at the base camp, but she couldn't hear anything. "Where is everyone else?"  
  
"They surprised us." She motioned towards the dead bodies. "Most of the hunters got away,  
I think they're just scattered. I have no way of communicating with them though. The equipment is   
busted."   
  
"Can you get up?"   
  
"I don't think so... I think I got hit." She tried to get up, but several wires on her right knee  
were cut. Zero bent down and picked her up.  
  
"I hope you don't mind, but I think this is the only way to move you." Zero started to carry her  
to the back of the ATV. "I think I can fix a couple of those wires so you can at least move."  
  
"I don't mind." She smiled, wrapping her arm around his neck for support. "Hey, Zero?"  
  
"Yo." He replied casually.  
  
"Are you getting...a kind of Deja Vu feeling?"  
  
He looked thoughtfully at her, then shook his head.  
  
"I see." She looked dejected again. "Hey! We have to go find the others!"   
  
"Headquarters to Zero. Headquarters to Zero." A voice came over on Zero's radio. "Come in, Zero."  
  
"The radios are working again." Zero told Faith. "This is Zero. Have you established contact with  
the other team members?"  
  
"Yes." The second spotter responded. "We've raised most of the other team members, except Commander  
X. I have a signal, but he's not responding. We've marked his location, we need you to go find him."  
  
"Roger." Zero set Faith on the back of the ATV, ran back and retrieved her rifle. "Take this." He  
gave her the rifle. "Stay safe until I get back, okay? I have to go get X." She nodded, still   
looking a bit dejected, but smiled supportively to him.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"X? X?" Zero opened the doorway. These were the coordinates he was given by the spotter. The room   
was already lit. Zero glanced around the room and found X sitting in the corner of the room. "Hey."  
Zero had a bad feeling as he walked towards X. The blue hunter was staring at the ground, paying   
no attention to Zero. "X?"  
  
"Stay away from me." X said suddenly, halting Zero's approach.   
  
"What?" Zero bad feeling continued to grow. "What do you mean, X? Are you okay?"  
  
"Just stay away from me." X's voice trembled. X got up, and walked straight past Zero, avoiding  
his gaze as he did so.   
  
"Did you hit your head or something?" Zero started after X.  
  
"I mean it, Zero." X turned around and looked coldly at Zero. "Stay away from me."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Mob Member 1: I'm going to object to the lack of Shounen-ai-ness in this chapter.  
  
Mob Member 2: *Waving a "Go Faith" banner* I don't know, I think I've changed teams.   
  
Aya: Scroll back up and read the dance move X and Zero did, cuz I can only use my summoning   
powers once a day.  
  
Mom Member 3: I think I've figured it out! *passes out conspiracy theories*  
  
Faith: I think the only conspiracy going on here is that this fic is totally void of any shounen-ai...  
or any kind of ai...  
  
Vile: I'm ALIVE!!! *Glares at Faith* Did you totally steal my part?  
  
Faith: I'll have you know I'm MUCH better at trapping my victims in my web of LOVE *villainess laugh*  
  
Aya: HEY! I can totally pair you *points to Faith* and you *points to Vile* up!  
  
Vile and Faith: AHHHHH!!!! 


	5. Love

Aya: So how is Faith working out for you all? Are you creeped out? Do you want to jump her   
in a shady alleyway? Good.  
  
Mob Member 2: *Wearing "Go Faith" Hat* Well, I like her.  
  
Mob Member 1: That's only cuz you like Alicia Silverstone in "The Crush."  
  
Faith and Vile: *arguing about who's better*  
  
Aya: Today we blow the blot WIDE OPEN, baby! YEAH! Don't worry, there will still be twists to   
follow the ones that are revealed today.  
  
-------------------------------------  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 5: Love  
  
"How are you sleeping, X?" It was Zero's voice again. X sat up on his bed, hair ruffled and  
pajamas wrinkled. It was enough he was hallucinating about Zero, but when those hallucinations  
woke you up from sleep. He massaged his face, trying to wake up fully. Zero was sitting across  
the room, leaning comfortably on the back of a chair, wearing a smug smile on his face.   
  
"I thought I killed you." X said with more hate than he would like to admit.  
  
"You can't kill me." Zero got up. "I'll be with you..." Zero climbed onto the bed. "Until."  
Now he boxed X to the headboard of the bed. "The day." Zero's hand pressed down on X's chest,   
pushing him flat on his back. "You die." X winced and his hand moved over his chest. "Does  
it hurt again? Your... 'heart'?"   
  
"You don't have one." X narrowed his eyes to slits. "So shut up about it."  
  
"I have a heart X." Zero slid his hand up the hunter's exposed neck and arches X's chin up. "I  
have a heart..." Zero's green eyes hovered over X's lips. His instincts told him to shove Zero  
off, but he found that he was paralyzed again. He could only look on helplessly as Zero stole a   
kiss from X. Although unable to move, X could feel all the emotions and sensations of Zero's advance.  
  
Zero pressed hungrily against X's lips, slowly changing X's feelings for the imposter. For a   
fleeting moment, X could see it in the imposter's eyes. Clear as day, different from the hatred and  
the possessiveness from before.  
  
//Love?//  
  
Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Zero disappeared. X reached for the fading image of  
Zero, but only caught air. He sighed, and headed for the door.  
  
"X!" Faith called cheerfully as she knocked on the door of X's quarters. "X?"  
  
"Coming!" The door slid open and X looked like he just climbed out of bed. His hair was   
going in all possible directions, and he was wearing his pajamas. Faith's eyes suddenly   
gained a strange glittering effect, stunning X a bit. "Uh... are you okay?"  
  
"You look just adorable even out of your armor!" She continued to stare dreamily at X,   
who laughed nervously. "Oh!" She snapped out of her daydream state. "I brought you some  
spaghetti this time." She moved to her left a bit and started to push a cart full of food  
into X's quarters.  
  
"Are you sure you're not supposed to be at the culinary academy across town?" X joked as she  
started to set up the food on his table. She scratched her head, slightly embarrassed. "You  
cook really well."  
  
"Thanks." She started back towards the door again. "I just wanted to drop by to see how   
you were doing. We were a little worried about you after the last mission. You just stopped  
talking to everyone for days."  
  
"I'm sorry about that." He sat down at the table. "Please sit down." She perked up again and   
joined X at the table. "I don't know what happened back there. I think I said some really   
awful things to Zero." He ran his hand through his hair. "I guess I just... snapped."  
  
"Well, you got a week's vacation out of it!" She laughed cheerfully, but X didn't find it as funny.  
"Ahem... Uh... forget I said that.... so what did you say to Zero?" X looked like he didn't want  
to answer. "Okay, forget I asked that. Here!" She pushed the plate of spaghetti to X. "Say...  
is blue for favorite color?"  
  
"Yeah." X thought of Zero's eyes. "Blue's my favorite color." He absentmindedly started to eat  
the food before him.   
  
Faith got out of her chair and moved towards X. His eyes opened wide when her arms wrapped around   
him from behind. She squeezed him firmly. "I hope you feel better." She kissed him lightly on  
the top of his head. As abruptly as it began, she had let go of him and rushed out of the room.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Faith?" The door to Faith's quarters were not locked, and after standing there yelling for a   
good two minutes, Zero decided to go inside to see if anything was wrong. She missed her last  
shift, and since he was passing by her quarters, he thought he'd check on her.   
  
Zero looked suspiciously around the room. It didn't seem like anyone was here right now. "Faith?"  
He called out again. "Are you here?" After checking everything in the living room, he started   
to check the bedroom. The moment he stepped inside the room, though, he knocked a poorly placed   
stool over by accident. He bent down to right the stool, and to return the book that was sitting  
on top.   
  
"Hmm?" He couldn't help but notice the letters "X" written on the pages. "It must be a diary."   
He started skimming the page it was open to see what context X was written in.   
  
"X is really adorable!" Was written at the top of the page. "He's such a nice person. When I   
hurt myself today, he bandaged my hands and knees." Zero thought back to the dinner the three  
of them had, and recalled the bandage on Faith's right hand. "I found him lying on the floor  
on his room, when I went to deliver his dinner. Glass was everywhere. He made me promise not  
to tell Zero about it. Does he think it's Zero's fault?"  
  
//My fault?// Zero's mind spun. //What's my fault?//  
  
"His hallucinations must be quite bad. I never imagined he would react this strongly to it."   
Zero continued to read. "I only expected him to have waking dreams when he's alone, but there  
seems to be a physical aspect involved in this case. Hopefully he'll start to hate Zero soon."  
  
Zero gasped, and thought back to the day at the cafeteria when she stared angrily at him, seemingly  
for no reason. The entry ended there, so he flipped back forwards several pages to find out   
what exactly is going on. A photo was slipped between two pages. Zero pulled it out. Centered  
on the photo was himself, in a style of armor he wore several years ago. Beside him, X was studying  
a map. He didn't remember posing for this photo, so most likely it was taken without his knowledge.  
  
He started to read that page. The entry was dated a week ago, when Faith had arrived.   
  
"I managed to get rid of a couple of people for the meantime so my team would get a chance to work  
here, at hunter HQ. It was easy enough to infect a couple of people with my virus. Fortune smiles  
up on me, since one of the people I got a chance to infect was none other than Alia, the navigator  
for the 17th unit. She also helps other elite teams on their mission, including the 0-Unit. I was  
a shoe-in for that position, since I'm the top navigator in the entire pathetic academy. So now   
here I am, at the academy, closer than ever to him.   
  
"I saw him at the cafeteria during lunch, but he didn't seem to recognize me at all! He was busy  
being friendly with his X. I was furious at him. After all that I did to see him again, how dare  
he not recognize me. I was so mad. I could cry." Zero thought about the mission several days ago,   
and how she asked him if he was getting a Deja Vu feeling. After searching his mind for a moment, he   
remembered where he first met Faith. Several years ago. Downtown. An attack.   
  
/////"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. I just got caught up at the wrong place at the wrong time."  
  
"Oh! You can't stand. I hope you don't mind, but this is the fastest way to get you to the repair center."  
  
"No... I don't mind at all..."/////  
  
He continued to read the diary, the entry was dated the next day.  
  
"I had to drive the two of them apart, but I couldn't bring myself to hurt dear, sweet Zero, so I   
implanted the chip in X instead. But still, I feel slightly bad about it, since it will definitely   
not be a pleasant experience for him, and he's such a sweet guy. At least now I know he can't   
get near my Zero. He'll even come to hate him soon."  
  
"Today X collapsed. It was probably because of the chip. Something came over me, and I felt all this...  
guilt. I hadn't expected him to react that strongly to the chip. Of course, I'd never tested it at all,  
but I didn't think... I'm so sorry, X. He still smiled like nothing was wrong. Oh, I feel horrible."  
  
He was back at the entry he first read, so he flipped passed that page.   
  
"I'm not even sure what happened today. X flipped out or something, and refused to talk to anyone.   
Zero looked devastated on the entire ride back. X must have said something to Zero. This could be  
my big chance to get Zero to forget about X...  
  
"... but I can't seem to get X out of my mind. He's so genuine. You can see it in his eyes. I honestly  
don't want to hurt him, but I have to be strong and follow through with this. The chip will work.   
The two of them will break up. As to which one I love more... I don't know. I mean, I came to this   
place to see Zero, the one I've been thinking about for the last three years. I cried when he   
died, was overjoyed when he came back... but X... my rival... he's in the way... but I've fallen for   
him, too."  
  
The doors to the quarters slid open. Zero panicked. He tossed the diary on her bed and looked around  
for a place to hide, but did not have time to duck away before Faith entered the bedroom.  
  
"Zero?" Faith blinked. "What are you doing in my room?"  
  
"I came to check on you. You missed your shift." That much was true.  
  
"Oh. I forgot about my shift." She laughed nervously. "Sorry."  
  
"Tell me, what exactly are you doing to X."  
  
Her eyes met Zero's. He did not look at all happy. She looked towards the bench were the diary was, then  
found it on her bed. A dark shadow cast over her face.  
  
"So you know." She moved slowly to the vanity and sat down. Zero could see her face reflected by the   
large mirror. Everything about the way she looked changed. Her eyes looked less innocent; they were   
seasoned with age and hurt. "Do you hate me now? Che... You don't remember me at all anyway."   
  
"I asked you--" Zero tried to contain his anger "--what did you do to X."   
  
"You really do like him don't you?" Her eyes were void of emotions now She simply stared at her own  
reflection in the mirror. Zero grunted. Fed up with her games, he moved over and spun her chair around.  
  
"I'm not playing your game anymore!" He shouted. "Did you do to X?!" Her lips curved slightly, and he  
only saw the glint of something metallic before a burst of electricity sent him flying violently backwards  
to the bed.   
  
"Zero?" Faith got up, both hands still gripped on the stun gun, disguised to look like a lipstick. Zero did  
not move. "I guess you really do like X." She lifted Zero's unconscious form from the bed and cradled it.  
"I like X, too." She unclipped his helmet and removed it. "I like you very much also." She brushed   
aside the hair blocking his eyes before kissing him. When she finished, she looked like she took a breath   
of air for the first time. "Unfortunately, you're in my way. I like X now, you see." Gently, she set  
Zero's body back on the bed. "Looks like I'll have to deal with you..."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Aya: *nods* Let this be a lesson to you all: the diary will ALWAYS be an evil fangirl's downfall.  
  
Mob Member 2: *eyes glittering* She's sooo cool! Wow! The ultimate evil fangirl!  
  
Mob Member 1: My god, number 2, is that a Faith T-Shirt you're wearing?  
  
Mob Member 3: She's hopeless.  
  
*People arrive, bearing torches, axes, and other garden tools*  
  
Aya: Who are you?  
  
Neo Mob Member 1: We are members of Neo Mob. We're here to hate Faith with all our might, and we came   
brining garden tools!  
  
Faith: *evil laugh* Attack me if you dare! You cannot touch me!  
  
Neo Mob members rush Faith, only to hit some kind of shield and fall backwards.   
  
Faith: *still more evil laughing* My Evil Fangirl Aura is too much for your puny garden tools to   
penetrate! Forte, eat your heart out. My Evil Fangirl Aura is far superior to your pathetic   
Dream Aura! *Evil laughing* 


	6. Smoke and Mirrors

Aya: I don't think I've ever written a fic this fast, but I just keep having visions about what  
should happen and stuff while being stuck in traffic. My other fic is really feeling the brunt of  
this (it hasn't been updated in awhile)  
  
Faith: *bounces back from being flying kicked by Omittichi in the review section, fixing her hair a   
bit* Hmph. You just got lucky I was distracted by how cute X looks! *to Aya* You've just discovered  
your evil fangirl inside, that's all, Aya. ^_~ Go with it!  
  
X: Don't encourage her! I don't want an evil fangirl author! *grumble* it's bad enough having a   
fangirl author.  
  
Faith: Awww... *wraps arms around X, who struggles* but now that I've done away with Zero, we can   
be all alone together...  
  
X: O_o Meep!  
  
Zero: *appears* I am NOT dead yet!  
  
Faith: *blinks* Oh yeah, lets get on with the chapter then! *snuggles X, who shivers*  
  
Aya: Dude, this is MY fic. *cough* This one will have one really short but sort of creepy violent   
scene. You have been warned. On with the chapter!  
  
--------------------------  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 6: Smoke and Mirrors  
  
"Wakey, wakey, my little Zero."  
  
"Arugh..." Zero opened his eyes and saw the demented smile on a familiar looking face. "Oh, it's  
you." He remembered his anger and reached for her throat. All he was rewarded with was a rattle  
of chains. "YOU!" He breathed angrily. Zero was chained up against some pipes. From what   
he could tell, they were in one of the sub basements of the hunter HQ.  
  
"Yeah, I had to chain you up." Her eyes had an almost haunting glow. "You were going to be problematic."  
She nodded matter-of-factly. "I didn't want to kill you yet... you could still be... useful. X's  
heart will be a complicated one for me to earn..."  
  
"You leave him alone!" Zero struggled against the chains again, but they held firmly.   
  
"I wouldn't bother yelling if I were you. I arranged so that the guards wouldn't patrol this area,  
so no one would hear you... except me, of course." She reached for Zero's face, but he shook her  
had away. Her eyes narrowed and she gripped his face more violently. Zero winced slightly from her  
fingers digging into his face. "Now that's going to leave a mark, isn't it? In any case, I still   
don't want you to wear yourself out yelling too much..." She reached nearby for a roll of duct   
tape and tore off a piece. Against Zero's protest, she taped her lips shut. She took a step back,   
a delighted look on her face. "Now, if I didn't have to deal with X, we could have some fun!" She  
giggled, very unlike an innocent girl and left Zero alone in the room.  
  
Zero studied the chains binding his hands. His wrists were chained to either side of him on pipes   
protruding from the walls. The pipes looked quite new and sturdy. Nothing around him looked useful  
for his escape. Zero sighed.  
  
//How am I so dumb?// Zero thought to himself. //I shouldn't have let my guard down.// He frowned.  
//I underestimated her.// His thoughts floated to X. //If that sociopath lays a hand...// Footsteps  
disturbed his train of thought. //Is she back?//   
  
----------------------------  
  
"Have you seen Zero?"   
  
"Hm?" Faith turned around and saw X walking up, looking slightly concerned.  
  
"Zero. Douglas said he missed both the unit meetings this morning. I checked his quarters, I   
checked the roof, I tried to call him up... he's nowhere to be found."  
  
"Have you checked with the 0th Unit navigator?" She looked up at X. "He would know if Zero left  
on a mission."  
  
"I did." X grew even more concerned. "Except he's out with the mysterious virus also, so he must  
have missed communicating with Zero."  
  
"Well, let me see if I can pull him up." She turned on some equipment at her desk. "Commander Zero?"  
She adjusted some of the buttons. "Commander Zero, can you read me?" Her lips curled slightly.  
  
"Zero here." Zero's voice came over the radio. "I'm on a mission right now, and unnecessary   
radio contact could compromise it. I'll call in later. Zero out."  
  
"Zero wait!" X scrambled to put on a headset, but only heard static.  
  
"He cut off his radio." Faith continued I can't raise him anymore."   
  
"I guess he can take care of himself..."   
  
An alarm sounded over the intercom system. X and Faith immediately starting heading for the door.   
It was the alarm for an attack on the HQ. Faith stopped by the weapons cabinet and grabbed a long  
range rifle and several battery packs.   
  
"I'm heading for the roof." Faith said as they exited the room. "I should be able to snipe a couple  
of Mavericks from there."  
  
"I'll clear the way for you." X followed.   
  
The two got to the roof without incident, but they were not alone. A group of Mavericks were   
gathered at the edge of the rooftop, about fifty yards away. Faith closed one eye to look through   
the scope mounted on her rifle. She fired off two shots, downing the two at the front.  
  
"WAIT!" X grabbed the head of her rifle. "You'll hit Zero!"  
  
"WHAT?!" She looked at the crowd of mavericks again, now noticing the red armor and the blonde hair.  
Zero's body was draped over one of the mavericks. "HEY! Let go of Zero!" She reaimed her gun,   
but X grabbed the rifle again.   
  
"You might hit Zero!" X insisted. By now, a helicopter hovered above the Mavericks. "ZERO!" X  
ran towards the Mavericks, but they were already leaving. They were hanging onto ropes suspended  
from the helicopter. "ZEROOO!!" X screamed after them as they were lifted off the rooftop.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
"Ugh..." //Did someone get the name of the truck that hit me?// Zero thought to himself as he   
regained consciousness. His head throbbed, and his throat was dry.   
  
"Look at who we have here!" An annoying voice boomed, making Zero's headache worse. "Who would  
imagine we would find the commander of Zero Unit chained to the basement of HQ... dare I ask how  
you got there?"   
  
"None of your business." Zero spat. He was leaned against the wall, his hands and legs chained   
together at the wrists and ankles. //Out of the pan and into the fire...// Now he was in the hands  
of Mavericks, and from the looks of it, just a small fry one. "Let's just say it was your lucky   
day that I was chained up, or I would have torn you apart before you even got within arms reach   
of me."  
  
"Did I hit you in the head too hard? Well, now that you're here," mused the Maverick, "I can get   
some valuable information about the hunters from you. For starters I want your remote security codes  
to the facility.  
  
"You wish." Zero laughed. The Maverick raised a gun against Zero's shoulder. The red hunter   
jerked back violently when the gun went off.   
  
"Tell me." The Maverick repeated, then fired off another shot and hit the other shoulder. Zero  
grunted, his face twisted with pain, but he still didn't make a noise.   
  
"Go..." Zero's breath was labored. "To hell..." A small pool of blood was starting to gather   
underneath him. The pain was subsiding from his shoulders, but everything was getting dimmer along  
with the pain.   
  
"I'll just let you think about where I would shoot next." The maverick leveled the gun between  
Zero's eyes.   
  
//This is an inexperienced guy.// Zero thought. //He has no sense of strategy. He wouldn't think  
for a second about killing me just because I'm ticking him off.// Zero looked in the Maverick's eyes.  
//Yep... he would shoot.//  
  
"I don't know them." Zero shook his head. "I--"  
  
"Don't lie to me!" The Maverick moved the gun to Zero's knees and fired. Zero gulped in a breath   
and grabbed his legs with his hands. The Maverick grabbed the chains on Zero's wrists and pulled  
the hunter to his feet. "Stop wasting time, because you don't have much left!" The sudden movement  
stunned the injured Zero, whose eyes were now half open and focused on something else in the room.   
"Hey! I'm talking to you." But Zero was already out cold. The Maverick cursed and tossed Zero's   
body to the ground.  
  
"Boss." Another Maverick entered the room. "Oh... you killed him?"  
  
"No." The first Maverick said in a mocking voice. "He's still alive. I know what I'm doing."  
  
"Uh... Boss?"  
  
"What?!"   
  
"Behind you..." The air in the room shifted. The boss Maverick turned around quick enough to see  
a purple glow before his life violently ended. The second maverick's mouth hung open in shock as   
the blood dripped off the fingers of the attacker. Before he had time to scream, the same hands   
wrapped around his neck and snapped it.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
X's eyes snapped open. One moment he was sleeping, then the next, someone's hands was wrapped   
around his throat. The fingers only pressed lightly against him, but the eyes of his attacker was   
enough to freeze him with fear.  
  
"Hello, X." Zero smiled slightly. "Did you miss me?"   
  
"You again!" X tried to push Zero off, but Zero responded by pressing harder down on X's throat.  
"Haven't you had enough fun?!"  
  
"I could never have enough fun with you." Zero pulled the covers away and scanned X's body. X  
shivered from the sudden exposure to the cold. He was only wearing a T shirt and boxers. "Never  
enough fun..." He brushed X's hair lightly away with his free hand and smiled.   
  
"Get off of me!" X pushed back again, this time ignoring the pressure on his neck for awhile.   
Zero's hand did not budge. With great satisfaction, he felt X's struggle weaken as he ran out of   
breath. He glared angrily at the red hunter, breathing heavier than before. "Why are you here   
again? To get me to hate Zero some more?"  
  
"Hate me?" Zero looked slightly curious. "What do you mean? I am Zero."  
  
"You're just a figment of my imagination." X closed his eyes, willing Zero to go away.  
  
"I forgot, Faith did something to you." X opened his eyes wide from Zero's words. "Yes, I read her   
diary, She's lusting after you, you know? A cute, cute schoolgirl crush." Zero bared his teeth  
in a sadistic grin. "Of course, she's no match for me, because look who in your bed now."   
  
X stared in horror to the hunter standing above him. The look in Zero's eyes. His smile. His   
demeanor.  
  
"Oh God..." X breathed. "...you've gone Maverick again."  
  
----------------------------  
  
Mob Member 1: GRUGH! I HATE it when you do that! Stupid cliff hanger!  
  
Neo Mob Members: *slamming their head against their monitors*   
  
Aya: Sorry! Wow, the inspiration for this one was faboux! (fabeau) I was driving around, and thinking  
about what to do about my other fic, and essentially was going to have Zero go maverick in the other  
fic, but then I thought it would be MUCH more amusing if Zero did so in this fic! Wow! Now there's  
the real evil Zero running around, the fake one in X's head, and the evil fan girl! Can you   
handle all the evil?!  
  
Aya's Car: She's telling the truth. She almost ran me off the road when she was busy celebrating   
about the fun plot twist.  
  
Faith: Um... Zero's not going to be MORE evil than me, right?  
  
Zero: *singing* Anything you can do I can do BETTER.  
  
Mob Member 2: *now wearing "Go Zero" T-shirt* Wow! Someone evil more cool than Faith! Can you do   
all the other evil things she did, too?  
  
Zero: Yep, and I *winks at Faith* am actually going to get close enough to X to do something   
  
X: Should I be looking forward to this?   
  
Aya: Just another one... maybe two chapters. It'll be fun fun, I promise! 


	7. Snipe

Aya: Hi hi's! The evils of midterm season have prevented me from actually typing this up, but  
the ideas have been buzzing in my head for awhile, getting better as the days passed. Special  
thanks to Yuzu-chan for helping me work out the ideas and research info for this chapter ^_^   
  
X and Zero: *still in pose as in last scene of Chapter 6*   
  
X: My throat is staring to hurt, can you hurry it up?  
  
Zero: I don't mind, Rarrr!  
  
Faith: *about to beat door down*  
  
Aya: Chill out! It's not your cue yet! Prepare yourselves for el-final chappy of "Hunted Heart."   
Thank my friend Yuzu-chan for convincing me not to break this into two chapters and leave you with  
yet another evil ciffy-hanger :)  
  
--------------------------------  
Hunted Heart  
Chapter 7: Snipe  
  
"What's wrong X? You don't like me now that I'm maverick?" Zero's eyes turned a chilly blue shade.  
His fingers traced the outline of X's face.  
  
"Zero..." A new desperation took over X. "No..." The only thing he could do was watch as Zero   
marveled at his prey. Unlike Zero, X had no armor on. Normally he was not as strong as Zero,   
not having the use of the boosting abilities of the armor made it completely futile to fight Zero  
hand to hand.  
  
The door chime on the door rang. Zero peered over his shoulder, slightly annoyed at the distraction.  
"Don't move..." Zero headed for the door, leaving X trembling. X heard his door slide open. There  
was a scream. X bolted upright and saw the green glow of Zero's Z-saber as he drew it. He was  
going to kill someone.  
  
Everything seemed to be in slow motion. X's legs felt like lead. The sword was already in the down  
swing when X had only covered half the distance between Zero and himself.   
  
"Zero, STOP!" X yelled. Zero hesitated for a second, which was exactly what X needed. He rushed   
in front of Zero and grabbed the sword by the blade, gasping slightly as the blade burned his hands.   
He couldn't stop the sword completely and it reached his right shoulder, drawing blood.   
  
"X! You're bleeding!" Came Faith's voice from behind him. In the commotion, he hadn't noticed who  
Zero was attacking.   
  
"Zero...." X struggled to keep the sword from cutting further. "Stop it Zero... she's just a child!"  
Zero deactivated his sword and looked down hard at X. His legs gave out beneath him, and X fell to   
the ground, grasping his wounded shoulder.   
  
Zero stretched his hand out, palm up. X studied the expression on Zero's face, then nodded,   
understanding the offer without a spoken word. In his Maverick state, he could wipe out a good deal   
of the hunters before anyone could stop him.   
  
"I have to go." X told Faith before placing his hand on Zero's. Zero smiled and pulled X's body  
close to his own and wrapped his arm around X's waist. X shut his eyes. It hurt to see someone  
he knew could be kind become...  
  
"X." Zero said softly. For a moment X thought he heard the Zero he knew was inside. He opened   
his eyes again, but found the icy blue eyes of a maverick staring back. "Smile." Zero teleported   
them out.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
//You're going to regret not killing me, honey...// Faith snapped a part onto her laser rifle.  
//No one stands in the way between X and me.// Her eyes narrowed to slits.   
  
"Faith?!" Came pounding at the door. It was the other Hunters again. They wanted to know what   
happened at X's room. "Faith, what happened? Who attacked you? Where's X?"   
  
//No one.// Faith swung the rifle strap over her head.   
  
---------------------------------------  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" X thrashed his arms around, trying to reach out for   
something... anything.   
  
"Shh...." A soothing voice and a hand stroking his hair calmed him down a bit. "You're having  
another bad dream, X." Someone held him securely, rocking slightly. Without opening his eyes, X   
nuzzled closer to the one holding him. He imagined clear blue skies as he felt a warm breath close  
to his face. He remembered the last time Zero held him like this...  
  
"Zero!" His eyes snapped open and he saw Zero's eyes. Reality came back, and X tried to get out   
of Zero's arms, but his shoulder made movement of any kind very painful. He glanced over to his   
right shoulder, it wasn't bandaged at all, and still bleeding.  
  
X looked around, disoriented. //How long has it been since I passed out?// He was surrounded  
by darkness. //Where is this place?// Zero noticed the confusion on X's face and turned X's face  
slowly back towards himself.   
  
"X, X, don't worry." Zero whispered. "No one will bother us here." X's eyes was getting heavy.   
The wound was affecting him. Zero rocked and hummed a haunting tune.   
  
//It's not so bad...// X thought to himself as darkness ebbed away his senses. //Zero is Zero...  
he'll always love me...even if he's Maverick.// A burning sensation returned to his chest. //Oh  
no!// His eyes, now wide open, searched the room for the other Zero. The true Zero followed X's   
panicked search around the room.   
  
"You!" X yelled to someone behind Zero. What Zero could not see was the copy of Zero in X's view,  
standing behind Zero.   
  
"X, what?" Zero looked behind him, then at X again. "Nothing's there."   
  
"No... stop! I don't..." X reached for the Z-saber sheathed behind Zero and, with a strength   
that surprised Zero, knocked Zero away. Zero watched curiously at the horrified look plastered on   
X's face as he activated the Z-Saber.  
  
"X...what are you doing?" Zero said, amused more than anything else at the turn of events.   
  
"Get away, Zero!" X cried. "I don't know what I'm about to do!" X took a step forwards, closer to   
Zero. "Stop it!" He yelled out to someone behind Zero again. "No!"   
  
"X..." Zero did not budge from where he sat, and sounded like he was talking to a badly behaved pet.   
"Put the sword down."  
  
"Zero, go!" X shook his head as he took another step towards Zero. "I don't know what's happening!   
I, NO!" He took another step forwards. "STOP IT!" He yelled again to the invisible stranger behind  
Zero.   
  
/////////"Faith did something to you." X recalled Zero saying to him earlier./////////////  
  
X's chest tightened again.   
  
"Zero, you said Faith did something to me. What was it?!"   
  
"She put a chip in you." Zero replied. "Why?"  
  
X continued to step towards Zero, with a new horrified expression on his face. "Oh no! She's...  
I...." X was now only several feet away from Zero. "GO!" Instead of heeding his friend's advice,  
Zero got up and took a step towards X.   
  
"What are you going to do, X?" Zero asked confidently. "Faith's doing this to you, isn't she?"   
  
"Zero, GO!" X said desperately as he saw his sword arm raising above his head. "GO!" The sword  
started to swing downwards. "ZEROOO!" Zero held tightly to X's wrist, stopping the sword from   
finding its target. The sword, stopped in mid-swing, was aimed at himself instead of Zero. X   
had managed to change the trajectory of the sword.  
  
Zero looked very disturbed by X's action, while, in X's view, the copy of Zero stood behind the real   
one wore almost the same expression. X struggled, and continued to pull at the Z-saber, this time   
on his own will, but Zero's grip held.   
  
"X..." Zero shook his head sadly, then swung a backhand at X's head. The unarmored Reploid made a   
dull noise when the hit connected, then fell backwards as stars filled his vision. Zero caught X   
before he hit the ground, watching expressionlessly as X's consciousness gave away. "X... looks like   
I'll have to find different accommodations for you... until I take care of Faith..." Zero's eyes   
narrowed darkly. "I'm going to rip her apart, piece by piece, for doing this to you."  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
X stirred slowly awake. He could hear the clank of chains as he pulled his arms towards himself.   
His right temple pounded. The sound of Zero's hand connecting with his head was fresh in his mind.   
Slowly he pushed himself off the ground, pausing a bit to let the wave of dizziness pass. He tested   
the chains latched on his wrists, they were bolted to the ground. He jerked at them, harder this   
time, trying to uproot the bolts, but they held. Frustration mounted in him. He followed Zero to   
help him, not to try to kill him. "Damn it." He yanked angrily at the chains, venting his anger,   
but only succeeded in cutting new wounds on his wrists.   
  
"Why did you try to kill yourself?" X bolted from the sound of Zero's voice. He looked up and saw  
Zero leaning against some boxes about twenty feet away. For the first time, X looked at his   
surroundings and saw that he was in a storage warehouse. Boxes were stacked around the large room   
with a vaulted ceiling. Windows high on the wall let in a bit of moonlight.   
  
"Zero?" X hesitated, not sure to whom he was talking.   
  
"I'm the one in your head." He pushed himself off of the boxes and walked towards X. "Now, why did   
you try and kill yourself?"   
  
"You gave me no choice." X moved into a sitting position, looking wearily at the false Zero. "You   
tried to make me kill a friend."  
  
"You'd kill yourself before him?" The false Zero looked meaningfully at X, who nodded. X ran his   
hand gingerly over his right shoulder. The wound from Zero's sword had stopped bleeding--thanks to   
his self repair system--but it was still open. The copy noticed that along with the blood coming   
from X's wrists, and approached the hunter. X drew back, but could only go back so far before the   
fully extended chains stopped him. "Hold still." The copy commanded, and placed a hand on his   
shoulder. X felt a comforting warmth from the hand on his shoulder and closed his eyes. When he   
opened them again, he checked his shoulder and his wrists to find the wounds were completely healed.   
X looked disbelievingly at the false Zero.  
  
"How did you do that?" X rubbed his shoulder as he asked. The other Zero simply smiled, then   
noticed something from across the room and disappeared. "Wait!" X called out, but he was already   
gone. X looked over his shoulder and saw the real Zero entering the room.   
  
"Who are you talking to?" Zero asked X, looking around. X turned back to look at false Zero, but   
found nothing there. X didn't answer, but Zero seemed to be satisfied that no one was in the room,   
and focused his attention back to X. "Never mind." Zero waved his hand dismissively. "Sorry about   
the chains, but I can't have you hurting yourself when it's not necessary."   
  
"Zero... we can go back to HQ and get you fixed." X turned fully around to face Zero. "Please,   
let's go home."   
  
"You _are_ home." Zero replied, smiling warmly at X. "Our new home." Zero got out of his chair and   
started to head towards X. "We can be together, now..." The sound of breaking glass echoed through   
the large room. Moments later, Zero dropped to his knees, his hand held to his chest. Blood trickled   
from between his fingers. Zero's kind eyes fell onto X again, before they closed completely. In slow   
motion, X saw Zero fall to the ground.  
  
//His eyes...// X thought... //Zero... Zero was back...//  
  
X took in a sharp breath before pulling against his chains, trying to get closer to Zero, who had   
fallen several feet out of reach. "Zero! ZERO!" He could almost reach Zero's blood covered hand.   
Someone teleported in next to Zero and kicked Zero's arm away. X looked up angrily and saw Faith   
standing over him, glaring back at him with equal intensity. A long range scoped rifle was in her   
right hand. "YOU shot Zero?"   
  
"Only because he took you away from me." Faith justified herself, her eyes narrowing as she looked   
at Zero again. "He had the audacity to come between us."  
  
"Faith!" X shook his head. "He didn't take me away from anyone! I don't love you." A frown appeared   
on Faith's face, and she backed away from X. "I don't love you, Faith."   
  
"No." She re-gripped her gun. "No." She repeated as she held her gun with both hands, aiming the   
long rifle at X. "You love me! Because I love you!" She continued to back away, shaking her head   
as she repeated herself. X sat very still on the floor, looking longingly at Zero. "TELL ME YOU   
LOVE ME!" She demanded ferociously.  
  
"I only love Zero." He said stoically. "Kill me, if you have to. Zero..." He reached out for the   
fallen hunter again, now ignoring everything else.   
  
"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Faith continued to wave her rifle, but X's world now only   
involved Zero and himself. Faith fired warning shots, missing X by only inches. X did not turn his   
gaze away from Zero. She gritted her teeth. "Fine." She said with a new calm. "You can die with   
your pathetic lover." She aimed straight for X this time, and fired a shot.  
  
//I love you... Zero.// X closed his eyes. A warm whirl of wind grew in front of X. The hunter   
opened his eyes and saw Zero materializing before him. The laser reflected from Zero's raised arm   
and flew back to Faith, hitting her on the shoulder. X checked and saw Zero was still lying on the   
ground, meaning the Zero who just shielded him must be the one from his mind.  
  
"You?!" Faith dropped her rifle and gripped tightly at her shoulder. She looked at the Zero lying   
on the ground, then the one standing in front of X. "How is this possible?" X stared dumbly at Faith,   
then back to the Zero standing in front of him.  
  
"I'm not Zero." X's guardian bent down and picked up Zero's sword. "You have no idea that X is special,   
do you?" He activated the sword, the green light humming in the air. "I'm part of the chip you implanted   
in X; only I have evolved beyond that."   
  
"That-that's not possible!" Faith backed away. "You can't possibly have taken a physical form! You're   
just a hallucination to him!"   
  
He shook his head, pointing the sword at her. "You don't deserve to live, after what you've put these   
two through!"  
  
"Zero! No!" X interjected, finally finding his voice. "STOP!"  
  
The copy looked over his shoulder to address X. "You need to understand, X, she'll never leave you alone   
until she dies. I know..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "she created me." Before X could protest,   
it already ended. Quick as a lighting strike, he advanced, and stabbed Faith square in her chest with the   
Z-Saber. Pain twisted her feature. She gripped at the sword with both hands. The copy pushed the sword   
again, causing her to fall backwards. He let go of the sword as she fell, allowing the sword to fall with   
her. She continued to grip the sword as she struggled to breathe. A strange silence fell over all of   
them. Finally, Faith pulled herself slightly upright and let out a laugh that resembled a cough, a trickle   
of blood rolled from the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Who would think my own invention could fall in love with you?" She coughed again, spewing more blood.   
"Or even that he could evolve beyond what he was...just from being with you." She fell back down on her   
back. "You have the charms of a Siren, X. That is your curse..." Faith fell silent. Her hands loosened   
from the sword and fell limply to her sides. She was dead.   
  
"X?" The copy of Zero turned to see tears trickling down his face. X hand one hand stretched out for   
Zero, who laid motionless on the ground, with a growing pool of blood beneath him. "He's dead, X." X   
nodded. The false Zero wrapped his arms around X.   
  
"Can you let me out of these?" X lifted his chains. "So I can go over to Zero?" The copy pulled back.  
  
"You really loved him, didn't you?"   
  
X nodded. The copy sighed.  
  
"You'll find the chip Faith implanted in you if you search closely at slot 5K on the chip matrix." The   
copy kissed X lightly on the cheek, causing X to blush slightly. "When you replace the chip, you will   
be fine."  
  
"But you..."  
  
"Will cease to exist? No. Not really." He walked towards Zero and placed a hand on the open wound  
on Zero's back. "I hope he takes good care of you." The copy got up, turned, and disappeared into the   
moonlight, leaving X with a million questions. Zero started to stir, and lifted his head up from the   
ground.   
  
"X?" Zero croaked weakly. "What... why are you crying?"  
  
"Zero?" X held his breath, and a smile slowly formed on his face. "You're... alive?" He tried to leap   
forward to hold Zero's hands, and found that he could reach further while lying on the floor. Even then,   
he was stills short by several feet. Zero dragged himself towards X and grasped X's outstretched hand,   
squeezing it as tightly as he could.   
  
"Why are you still crying, silly?" Zero asked. X wiped the tears off his face with his other hand.  
  
"Let's go home." X smiled warmly.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
The day was brisk. X crossed the grounds of the botanical garden, to the section dedicated to roses.  
He stopped when he found the particular bush he was looking for, and started to dig a small hole about   
a foot deep in the dirt. In his hand was a box, about the size of he hole. He opened it momentarily   
to look at the chip Douglas extracted from him.   
  
Zero approached X, staring at the box, and then at X again. "Are you still thinking about him?" Zero   
asked.  
  
"It's my fault again, isn't it?" X closed the box and placed it inside the hole underneath the rose   
bush. "Everyone getting hurt around me."  
  
"You need to stop thinking like that." Zero continued as X patted down the freshly dug earth. "Faith was  
insane, and the other Zero... well... do you miss him?"  
  
During the post-event briefing, Zero heard all about his doppelganger. X thought Zero looked a bit   
concerned about how X felt about the other Zero. The red hunter never brought it up until now, but it   
seems to have bothered him everyday.   
  
"I don't miss him." X shook his head turned to look at Zero. "He said he was how I envision you to be...  
and... he's right here." The blue hunter wrapped his arms around Zero and leaned against him. "He is you."  
  
"The Tea Rose?" Zero observed. "Why here?"  
  
"The Tea Rose means 'I'll remember always.'" X closed his eyes. Zero could see that X was still thinking  
about something. No matter what X said, he was still hurting about Faith and the other Zero.  
  
"Look over there." Zero said softly. X followed Zero's gaze, which fell on a lone white flower planted  
in a slightly raised mound sectioned off by small bricks. The bright white pedals hung like a bell while  
its long green leaves extended gracefully from the base of the stem and swung gently in the breeze.   
The way the light hit the flower instilled a sense of tranquility in X.  
  
"What is that?" X asked, still holding Zero in his arms.   
  
"That's the Snowdrop. It means 'Hope.'"  
  
X looked up at Zero, who was smiling at X. "I didn't know you had an encyclopedic knowledge of flowers."  
  
"I don't." Zero raised a finger, as if you make a point. "I looked at the label they put over there."  
X chuckled, leaning his forehead on Zero's chest. "You know what else I read on the label?"  
  
"What?" X looked up at Zero, who stared quite seriously at him.   
  
"Caramel Cheesecake means happiness! So let's go get some!" Zero swung his arm around X's shoulder and  
the two started to walk away from the Rose bushes. X looked ahead at the garden before him; it was   
vibrant and full of life. He felt Zero's arm on his shoulder and thought of the whimsical nature of the   
Red Hunter, always hunting for happiness.   
  
//Hope...// X thought contently. //I'll just enjoy this moment.//   
  
~The End~  
  
-----------------------------------  
Aya: Let me just apologize for the ending. I tried to work in a cute kiss, or something here at the  
end, but it just came off sounding... corny. I mean, I had all the meaningful stuff going on with   
the flowers, so this just seemed to be enough. This is not so bad, right?  
  
Mob Member 1: Waahhh!! Copy Zero is so cute! Why did you have to off him?!  
  
Mob Member 2: *wiping away tears on t-shirt* He was so sweet!  
  
Zero: HEY! I'm sweet!   
  
X: Yep! *kisses Zero* YUM ^_^  
  
Neo Mob Members: *Dancing around Faith's body* YAY!  
  
Faith: *Pops back to life* Roar!   
  
Neo Mob Members: WAHHH!!! *Runs away*  
  
Aya: By the way, as per chapter 2's end notes, 'twas Lauren-sama's comment about it was nice having a girl   
go after X instead of Zero that caused me to write Faith to be obsessed about X. Originally it was  
just supposed to be Faith going after Zero, with many signs pointing otherwise just to mess with your   
minds ^_^  
  
Mob Member 3: Have we totally forgotten the point of having lemony scenes in these fics? *on soapbox*   
have we all forgotten the importance of good lemon that will advance fan fiction literature? What is  
the world coming to when-- *during her speech, the sun rises and sets* And so, that's why we must have good  
lemony scenes!  
  
Aya: *stares at MM3* Uh.. yeah... Oh X-kun! *pulls X away from Zero* Here, have this! *Hands X-kun a "Spider   
Flower."*  
  
X: What does this mean?  
  
Aya: It means "Elope with me!" *Evil villainess laughter as she runs off with X.*  
  
Zero and Zombie Faith: *In unison* COME BACK HERE! *Cue chase music* 


End file.
